


Springtime for Hades!

by Queenbean3



Category: Ancient Greek Religion & Lore, DuckTales (Cartoon 2017)
Genre: Awkward Romance, F/M, I don't know what else to tag, Meddling, Misunderstandings, Mutual Pining, Opposites Attract
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-18
Updated: 2020-12-06
Packaged: 2021-03-09 22:48:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 13,454
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27613711
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Queenbean3/pseuds/Queenbean3
Summary: The story of how the god Hades married his wife Persephone, but in the DuckTales world.
Relationships: Hades/Persephone (Ancient Greek Religion & Lore)
Comments: 10
Kudos: 49





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is what happens when you're a Greek mythology nerd who also loves DuckTales. I fell in love with their version of Hades and had to tell this story about him. Obviously it's a Disneyfied version of the Hades & Persephone myth, so there's no rape or incest this time. Even so, I promise these two will not have it easy.
> 
> Also Zeus, Selene, and Storkules will all have appearances in some way or another. Zeus especially will have a pretty big role.

Hades fell in love with the goddess Persephone on the same day a volcanic eruption rattled the island of Sicily.

The eruption was caused by Typhoeus, the storm giant trapped in Tartarus deep beneath Mount Etna. The giant was so colossal that his tantrums could be felt for miles around. It was the one of the duties of Hades, king of the underworld and guardian of Tartarus, to keep him from breaking out of his prison. This was no easy task. The only god who had been able to defeat the giant before was Zeus, and Hades wasn’t quite as powerful as him. But the giant had been weakened in his battle with the king of the gods, making it somewhat easier for Hades to keep him contained. 

With his trusty bident and the assistance of the three-headed guard dog Cerberus, Hades wore Typhoeus down until he was too exhausted to fight back. Then the storm-giant retreated back into his cell to lick his wounds and rest for another hundred years. Hades was worn out from the battle, but he had no time to rest. The giant’s fists had sent shockwaves through the earth, and his breath spewed lava everywhere. 

The subterranean kingdom of the dead had received massive damage. Cities were rocked and toppled over, and even Hades’ own palace was knocked askew. Worst of all, the crops were all ruined. Even the denizens of the underworld needed food, and without it they would starve.

It was necessary for the reclusive Hades to venture out from his kingdom and travel to Mount Etna to call for aid. His nearest neighbor was Demeter, the goddess of agriculture. She was in charge of making crops grow in the mortal and divine realms. If anyone could save his farmlands it was her. So he hitched four immortal horses to his golden chariot and drove up to the living world.

When Hades arrived at the base of Mount Etna he saw the living world was in equally bad shape. The sky was gray with ash and smoke clouds and the lava flows had all cooled and hardened. Forests and villages were burnt to smoldering embers. No signs of human, animal, or plant life anywhere. All of nature was in a state of chaos, and as usual it was up to the gods to restore order.

As he made his way toward Demeter’s palace Hades could see the gray skies clearing up. The wind gods were blowing away the smoke and ash, allowing Helios the sun to shine through. As he drew nearer to his destination he saw plant life that was green and thriving despite the harsh conditions. That could only be the handiwork of the goddess herself.

Soon Hades pulled his horses to a stop. There was a trail of green grass dotted with tiny wildflowers diverging from the road. The trail led up the hillside to a cluster of boulders, where a female figure was standing alone. She wore a wreath of blue flowers atop her head and a pale green chiton. He watched as she knelt down and placed her hands flat on the ground. Suddenly a young cypress tree sprouted in front of her that hadn’t been there before. The tree grew taller and taller, branches reaching up to the sky until it was fully grown. 

Hades assumed that this must be Demeter, the goddess of agriculture herself. It looked just like her, and only she had the power to make trees grow like this. But then the goddess rose to her feet with her arms raised commandingly. Even more trees and a ring of bushes sprouted up all around her. A wide swath of white clover and chamomile flowers were the final touch.

Hades’ jaw dropped in amazement. Even Demeter couldn’t grow that many plants so quickly. Who was this goddess?

Just then the mystery goddess turned around and he saw her face for the first time. She was definitely not Demeter. Demeter was mature, matronly and stern. This was a petite young maiden with jade green eyes and long masses of golden ringlets. When she saw Hades standing behind her, a tall, dark, and creepy stranger wearing black lipstick and eyeliner, she cried out in fear.

“Aaaaah! A man!”

Before Hades could tell her he meant no harm, thick ropey vines broke through the ground all around him. They wrapped around his body like pythons, pinned his arms to his sides, and lifted him off his feet. He struggled to break free but the vines were too strong. He only succeeded in turning himself upside down.

“Hey!” he shouted, both angry and embarrassed. “What are you doing?! Put me down right now!”

“I won’t!” the young goddess said. She marched up to him and put her hands on her hips, frowning in a way that was meant to look tough but only made her look more adorable. “Mother warned me about strange men,” she said, studying his upside down face. “And you’re the strangest man I’ve ever seen. What do you want from me?”

“Nothing!” Hades insisted, growing more and more frustrated by the second. “I don’t even know you!”

The goddess folded her arms. “I don’t believe you. Mother says men only have one thing on their minds. I won’t repeat it here because it’s not nice for young ladies to talk about those things.”

Hades groaned and rolled his eyes. It was just his luck he’d get waylaid by some flower girl when he was in a hurry. “Look, lady. I don’t have time for this. I need to find Demeter right away. She’s the only one who can help me save the underworld from a famine of epic proportions.”

The goddess tilted her head curiously to one side. “How do you know my mother?”

Hades arched his eyebrows at her in confusion. He was starting to feel lightheaded. "Wait, what?! Demeter is your mother?!"

"Ugh, everyone freaks out when I tell them that. Yes, she's my mother! Now answer the question!"

“We’re old friends. When I first saw you I thought you were her. You look a lot alike from the back.”

The young goddess came closer and studied him carefully. Even up close she was still short. If it wasn’t for her curvy bosom he might have mistaken her for a young girl. And she was cute. Very cute. “What’s your name, strange man?”

“Hades,” he replied. “I’m the god of the underworld.”

Her eyes went huge and her pupils shrank to pinpoints. “A god!” she gasped. “Oh my goodness! I had no idea!”

“Yeah, I know,” he deadpanned. “Please put me down now. All of my blood is rushing to my head.”

“Oh, yes! Of course!” She waved her hand and the vines binding him came loose. 

Unfortunately he was still upside down and landed on his head. Hades winced from his hard landing and flopped to the ground like a rag doll.

“I am so, so sorry!” the goddess apologized frantically. “If I knew you were a god I wouldn’t have been so rough with you. I thought you were just some creepy weirdo.”

“Gee thanks,” Hades grumbled, sitting upright and rubbing his bruised skull. How humiliating. One minute he was the guy who beat Typhoeus into submission, the next minute he was getting thrown around by Demeter’s homicidal offspring. His only consolation was that there were no other gods around to laugh at him. Maybe now that he was free he was finally able to get a better look at his captor. “What’s your name?”

The goddess finally noticed how tall he was and tipped her head back to look him in the eye. He was an imposing figure up close, strongly built with dark feathers and even darker unkempt hair. His eyes were the blackest she had ever seen and his black eyeliner accentuated them even more. He even had black lipstick. She had never seen any man wear that much makeup. It had unsettled her at first, but now she thought it suited him well. It made him look cool and mysterious.

“I’m Persephone,” she replied with a sweet smile. “Pleased to meet you, Hades.”

Something about her smile unsteadied Hades. It was so innocent, so full of sincerity. It almost made him forget how she had captured him with plants so easily. “Persephone,” he repeated, letting the word roll off his tongue. “That’s a nice name.”

A light pink blush stole across her cheeks and he felt his knees begin to melt. Damn. That wasn’t fair. She had no right to be this cute. Had he ever met a girl this cute before? He really couldn’t remember.

Thankfully he managed to regain his composure. “I had no idea Demeter had a kid. When did that happen?”

“One-hundred-and-eighteen years ago,” Persephone replied, twirling one blond ringlet with her finger. “My one-hundred-and-nineteenth birthday is in seven months.”

Hades scratched his head in bewilderment. “Damn. I’m really out of the loop. I should have met you decades ago.”

“I doubt my mother would have let you,” Persephone said with a shrug. “She’s _very_ strict about keeping men away from me.”

He arched one black pencilled eyebrow. “Why? She thinks we have cooties?”

“She wants me to be a virgin goddess,” she said with a sigh. “On my next birthday I’m making a vow of eternal chastity.”

“Oh,” Hades said, his heart sinking like a stone. Any hope he had of pursuing this girl was immediately extinguished. He rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly, trying to think of something else to say. He assumed serious, professional expression. “Speaking of your mother, where is she? I have important business with her.”

Persephone tried to act serious and professional as well. “She’s on the other side of the mountain. We split up this time so we could cover more ground.”

He was about to thank her and bid her goodbye, but he had an idea. “Could you take me to her?”

She smiled that lovely smile again. “Of course! I bet she’ll be glad to see you.”

Hades nodded his head, feeling his cheeks grow warm under his feathers. “Good. We can take my chariot.”

Persephone followed Hades back to his golden chariot, but found she was too short to climb into it without help. He gave her his hand and lifted her up without the slightest effort. Despite himself he let his hand linger on hers for a few long seconds. It was so small and soft, concealing any hint of the power he had just witnessed from her. She didn’t pull away from him, either. She seemed to be similarly fascinated with him.

A horse’s whinny broke Hades out of his trance. He let go of Persephone’s hand, took the reins and snapped them to get the horses moving. 

  
  


_To be continued..._


	2. Chapter 2

The ride to the other side of the mountain was uncomfortably quiet. Persephone tried to think of something to say. Hades didn’t seem to be a very talkative god. He was content to travel in silence, but it felt strange to her to be so close to another person without saying anything. She was intrigued by this dark and mysterious stranger and wanted to learn more about him.

“I hope that volcano doesn’t erupt,” she remarked. “It took so long to grow those trees. Lava would destroy all of them.”

Hades kept his eyes straight ahead. “I wouldn’t worry too much about that. Typhoeus is taking a one-hundred year nap.”

Persephone looked at him curiously. “Typhoeus?” she echoed.

“Didn’t your mother tell you about him?”

“No, she didn’t. Who is that?”

“He’s a w inged giant with serpent legs, one hundred heads, and one hundred serpent-fingers.  Long ago, way before you were born, he laid siege to Mount Olympus. He wanted to overthrow Zeus and rule over gods and mortals alike. But Zeus defeated him with his thunderbolts and cast him into the pit of Tartarus, right under Mount Etna. Every hundred years or so he wakes up and tries to break out, banging on the walls of his prison and belching hot lava.” He paused and groaned tiredly, his muscles aching at the memory of his last battle with the monster. “It’s a bitch to clean up. Takes forever to get him back to sleep.”

“Does Zeus do that, too?” Persephone asked.

Hades snorted. Zeus would never demean himself enough to enter the dismal realms of the underworld for such a menial task. “No way. He gave that job to me.”

Her eyes grew big and round. “Really?!”

“Yeah. I’m the guardian of Tartarus. Just another one of my boring duties in the underworld.”

“Then you’re a hero!”

Hades looked confused. “What?”

“You’re the one who keeps the monsters from escaping,” Persephone explained, eyes twinkling. “Typhoeus would be tearing up the world if it wasn’t for you. That makes you a hero.”

Hades felt lighter inside. It was nice to be flattered by a pretty girl. “I’m no hero,” he replied humbly. “I’m just doing my job. And I still have to clean up the mess that monster made.”

“But you did a good thing,” Persephone insisted. “You should be proud of that.”

“You’re really buttering me up,” Hades said with a smirk on his black lips. “A virgin goddess shouldn’t be flirting, you know.”

Persephone balked at the suggestion. Then she pouted at him, cheeks flushing red. “Oh, so just because I’m saying nice things to you it means I’m flirting?”

He remained smug. “That’s what it sounded like to me.”

“Then you shouldn’t be flirting back,” she replied.

Hades turned serious again. She was right. He really shouldn't be flirting with her at all. If she was planning to be an eternal virgin he had to respect her decision. Plus it was wrong to woo a girl without her parents’ consent. He had to accept that Persephone was off limits.

Soon they arrived at the opposite side of Mount Etna and followed the trail of fresh greenery to Demeter. She was busy repairing fallen trees when they approached her. Hades noticed that she had indeed passed much of her looks on to her daughter. They were both the same petite height and had the same golden hair and green eyes, but Demeter was slightly taller and much more matronly and serious. And she did not look pleased to see her daughter with a man.

“Hello, Hades,” she said with stiff politeness. “I should have known you’d turn up sooner or later.”

Hades politely helped Persephone down from the chariot and respectfully distanced himself from her. “Hello, Demeter,” he said, nodding his head. “It’s been a while.”

Demeter turned to her daughter with a disapproving frown. “Persephone, what did I tell you about talking to strange men?”

Persephone averted her eyes and squirmed uncomfortably. She knew she had displeased her. “I’m sorry. He said he had business with you.”

Demeter turned her attention to Hades, not impressed with his disheveled style or his makeup. “Do you have business with me?”

“Yes,” Hades said stoically. He was all business as he explained his situation to her. “Typhoeus' tantrum hit the lands of the dead the hardest. Our crops were ruined, and if we don’t get more the immortals will starve. We could really use the help of an agricultural goddess.”

“I’m afraid that’s out of the question,” Demeter said. “I can’t leave Persephone behind while I travel.”

“So take her with you,” Hades suggested.

Demeter raised her eyebrows in shock. “What?”

“Let Persephone go to the underworld,” he went on. “I saw her work on the other side of the mountain. She made an entire grove of trees right before my eyes. She’s perfect for the job.”

Persephone became excited at the idea. “Can we please go, mother? Restoring crops in the underworld is a great opportunity for me to practice my skills! 

Demeter leveled a stony glare at Hades and did not avert her eyes as she spoke. “Persephone, that grove over there needs tending to. Will you be a dear and take care of it while Hades and I talk?”

“But...”

“Now, dear.”

Persephone reluctantly obeyed. “Yes, mother.”

Hades watched with concern as she trudged off. It didn’t seem right that such a bright and bubbly young women should be so dejected.

Once Persephone was out of earshot Demeter put her hands on her hips and continued to frown at Hades. He sensed he was in trouble. “Did I say something wrong?”

“Listen Hades,” Demeter began in a tone that meant she would tolerate no nonsense. “You’ve proven yourself to be more sensible than your brothers and I respect you as a fellow deity. But let me make this perfectly clear. My daughter is  _ not _ going back to your place. Ever.”

To say Hades wasn’t intimidated by the small goddess would have been a lie. Still, he tried to hold his ground. “You’ve got the wrong idea. I didn’t mean it that way.”

“I don’t care. I don’t want my little girl going to the underworld, and I don’t want you or anyone male to be alone with her.”

“Come on, you know me better then that. I wouldn’t hurt her.”

“It’s my job to be strict about my daughter’s safety. I’ve kept her safe all these years, but she’s growing up. She’s at an age where men start pursuing her, and that’s terrifying to me. Ares and Apollo have already tried to woo her, and I told them both no.”

Hades frowned. Ares and Apollo were highly eligible gods. For Demeter to turn them both down meant nobody was good enough for her daughter. “So if I asked your permission to court Persephone, you’d say no?”

Demeter folded her arms, not surprised by this question at all. “Wow. You don’t waste any time, do you? Maybe you’re not that different from your brothers after all.”

Hades gritted his teeth and clenched his fists. He didn’t like what she was insinuating. “Don’t compare me to them. It’s a hypothetical question.”

“Thank you for your interest in my daughter,” Demeter said with stiff politeness. “But I’m afraid I have to decline.”

“Why?” he asked, a bit more insistent then usual. “Do you think I wouldn’t be good to her? She’d be queen of the underworld. She’d get half of everything I own, including wealth and power. She’d be my equal in every way and I’d always provide for her.”

“That’s a very generous offer,” Demeter admitted. “More than generous. But you’re leaving out the most important part. If she married you she’d have to live in the underworld forever. Not only could she not fulfill her duties as a goddess of plant life, but I’d never get to see my child again.”

Hades winced. Those points were inarguably negative ones. He wasn’t sure how to spin any of that in his favor. “She could still come up to visit you now and then. Occasionally. Maybe.”

Demeter shook her head. “That’s not enough. I can’t agree to those terms. And from now on, I’d appreciate it if you didn’t talk to her again. She’s agreed to become a virgin goddess and can’t afford to be tempted. Soon she’ll be swearing her oath of eternal maidenhood. Then I’ll finally know she’s safe forever.”

Hades stared Demeter down with a steely-eyed glare that would have terrified any mortal man. But Demeter was a goddess, not a mortal man. There was no changing her mind. He knew her long enough to know she would never budge. It was like talking to a brick wall. 

“Fine,” he said coldly. “I see the way it is. I assume you won’t be helping with the underworld’s crops, either?”

Demeter shook her head firmly.

Hades scowled. This conversation had been a complete waste of his time. There was nothing more for him to do but dismiss himself and return to his kingdom to fix the mess himself. As always.

Normally Hades would have begrudgingly accepted defeat, gone home to sulk, and written depressing poetry about his unrequited love. He would have never again attempted to pursue Persephone. But for one fleeting moment he happened to catch a glimpse of the young goddess looking straight at him with a coy smile on her beak and a lock of golden hair twirled around one finger. Then she winked at him and his cold heart very nearly melted.

* * *

Time passed. Days turned into weeks. Hades ran the clean up project in the underworld and progress moved slowly but surely. Almost all of the ruined buildings and roads were repaired. However the problem of the crops remained. Without an agricultural goddess’ help there was just no way to grow everything back. And the more he thought about the problem the more he thought about Persephone.

He tried not to let his feelings interfere with his work, but he just couldn’t concentrate anymore. He was constantly daydreaming about the beautiful blonde goddess who had winked at him. He tried to process his feelings through writing poetry and song lyrics that he would never share with anyone else. That just made him angrier when he ran out of words to describe her beauty. Most of his writing ended up crumpled up in balls and thrown into the fireplace. Then he would stare into the fireplace with a scowl on his face, brooding about how unfair his life was. 

He finally found a woman he wanted to marry, the most beautiful woman he had ever set his eyes on, who had even flirted with him, and yet she was completely off limits. It just wasn’t fair. Why should all the other gods have partners and not him? Didn’t he deserve one? Why did Persephone have to be so cute? Why did Demeter have to be so uptight?

He screamed into his pillow. It was no use trying to fight it. He was hopelessly infatuated. He needed to see her again. If he could just talk to Persephone he would know exactly how she felt about him. But Demeter would never allow him anywhere near her. There was only one person who could help him now. He hated it, but there was no one else with the power to get him past Demeter.

He needed to ask Zeus for a favor.


	3. Chapter 3

Hades promptly sent a message to Zeus requesting an audience with him. He knew the king of the gods was in his debt for all the hard work he did for him in the underworld. Because of Hades the dead had a place to go and the Titans were always guarded, which allowed mortals and gods alike to live their lives as they pleased. However because Hades spent most of his time in his own kingdom and rarely showed his face his labors often went unrecognized by his peers. Nobody wanted to think about the unpleasantness of death, least of all the immortal gods of Olympus.

But Zeus graciously invited Hades to visit him on Mount Olympus. Hades always felt like an outsider there. The opulent palaces with their white marble and gold statues were all too sparkly and garish for his taste. He much preferred the comforting gloom of his subterranean palace. But he wasn’t here for a frivolous social call. He had important business to do that would decide the fate of his kingdom.

When Hades arrived at Zeus’ palace he was escorted into the throne room where Zeus was waiting for him, eating grapes and lounging in his throne. “Well, well, well. Look who finally stepped out of his cave! What brings you to my humble abode, brother?”

Hades was never one for empty pleasantries and cut straight to the point. “Zeus. You owe me a favor. I’m here to collect.”

“Blunt as usual, I see. Very well, let’s discuss the troubles with your kingdom.”

Hades had come prepared with a presentation. He produced a scroll with a chart on it illustrating all the troubles with his realm. “First of all, I’m sure you’ve heard that Typhoeus woke up and caused Mount Etna to erupt. Obviously this was a huge disaster for the living world, but it’s an even bigger one in the underworld. I have a new wave of souls backed up from mortals killed in the disaster, I managed to fix most of the structural damage, but the farmlands are ruined. It’s a famine. What I need most of all is crops.”

“That’s Demeter’s area, not mine,” Zeus said flippantly. “Go ask her.”

Hades frowned. “I did. She refuses to come to the underworld because of her daughter. She won’t bring her along or leave her behind.”

Zeus pouted his beak in thought. “Hmm, that is a predicament.” He shrugged. “Welp. Good luck with that.”

“That’s it?” Hades asked. “You’re not gonna do anything about this?”

“Here’s the thing, Hades. The underworld is gross, and you’re weird. That’s why none of the gods want to help you.”

Hades bristled at these words. He wasn’t going to take that from his own brother, even if he was the king. “Seriously? You’re going to let my realm fall into ruin because it’s ‘gross’? You, my own brother? After everything I’ve done for you?!”

“Eh, you don’t need my help. You’re super rich, right? Just buy some food for your gross dead subjects. Problem solved.”

That was the last straw. Hades clanked the end of his bident on the ground. Instantly the light in the brilliant throne room suddenly dimmed as if a shadow had blocked out the sun. Hades' eyes began to glow and his voice became a deep, echoing growl. _“Zeus, if you don’t help me fix this, I swear upon the River Styx that I’ll raise an undead army, release every monster you ever imprisoned, and wage a war on Mount Olympus the likes of which you’ve never seen.”_

Zeus was so startled by this display of anger from his introverted brother that he fell off of his throne. He had foolishly forgotten how powerful Hades was and how dangerous it was to offend him. “Hey, hey, let’s not get carried away! Of course I’ll help my favorite brother! What are your demands?” 

The instant Hades calmed down the light returned, though his face remained set in a dark scowl. “Tell Demeter to send one third of her crops to my kingdom until the famine is over. In return I’ll pay her back in gold. That’s a fair exchange.”

Zeus nodded his head vigorously. “Yes, yes, I will. That’s fair. More than fair. Did you want anything else?”

“There’s one more thing.” Hades shifted his gaze and waited a long moment before answering. “I want a wife.”

Zeus had not expected that. “Really? What brought you to this decision?”

Hades rubbed the back of his neck nervously, not making eye contact. “I’m tired of being alone. I want someone to spend my life with. And Persephone is the one I want.”

“Her? Really?” Zeus’s eyebrows climbed up his forehead. “That fluffy little flower goddess? I didn’t think she was your type.”

“You don’t know my type,” Hades grumbled. “Anyway, I tried asking Demeter to let me court her, and she said no. But here’s the thing.” He turned his eyes away again, cheeks warming. “I think Persephone likes me.”

“I always knew this day would come,” Zeus said, grinning wolfishly. “Cupid’s arrow has finally pierced your cold heart. I’m surprised you didn't ask _him_ for help, by the way.”

Hades rolled his eyes. “Yeah, right. Like I want _that_ little twerp ruining my life for me."

Zeus wrapped an arm around his brother’s shoulders. “Worry not, brother. I shall concoct a brilliant plan that you may woo this fair damsel and be joined in wedded bliss.”

Hades’ black-lidded eyes narrowed into slits. “Get your hand off me.”

Zeus obliged. “Here's the plan," he said. “I’ll hold a banquet in Demeter and Persephone’s honor. All the Olympians will be invited, except you. When Demeter doesn’t see you there she’ll let her guard down. While she’s distracted Persephone will be unsupervised, giving you the chance to get close to her.”

Hades arched a confused eyebrow. “How am I gonna to do that when I’m not even supposed to be there?”

“Easy,” Zeus replied. “You’ll be in disguise. Turn yourself into something small and unassuming, like a cuckoo bird. That’s how you’ll ravish her!”

Hades stared at Zeus with a long, unimpressed stare. “Yeah, no,” he said dryly. “I’m not doing that.”

“What, are you too cool for cuckoo birds?” Zeus said with a sneer. “I'm telling you, it's foolproof. That's how I got _my_ wife.”

"Yeah, and how's your marriage working out?" Hades deadpanned.

Zeus scowled darkly. "Hey, at least I _have_ a marriage, Mr. Smarty Toga."

Hades sighed and pinched the bridge of his beak. This conversation was going nowhere. "I’m _not_ gonna do the cuckoo bird thing, Zeus. I’m gonna win Persephone’s heart my way. All I need is for you to distract Demeter for a while.”

“Fine. I’ll distract Demeter, and you can _kidnap_ Persephone.”

Hades sputtered with frustration. “What...Why are you like this?!”

* * *

Meanwhile in Sicily, Persephone was also becoming distracted from her work. 

For the past few weeks she and Demeter had been working tirelessly on restoring the crops destroyed by the Mount Etna eruption. But for Persephone it was difficult to concentrate after her meeting with Hades. 

She couldn’t stop thinking about the mysterious god of the underworld. He was so different from the other gods she knew. He was so dark, both literally and figuratively. His personality was somber and grim, but there was something about him that intrigued her. And he was handsome, in a spooky kind of way. Furthermore it felt wrong to her that her mother had refused to give him any help with the destruction of his kingdom. What had he done to earn her rejection?

Of course Demeter didn’t fail to notice the change in her daughter. 

Today she found Persephone tending to her herb garden at their palace. Normally she would be singing to the plants to make them grow healthy, but instead they were wilting with her sighs. 

Concerned, Demeter approached her. “Persi, what’s the matter? You’ve been acting so glum lately.”

“Oh, hello, mother,” Persephone said sadly. “I’m just tired from working so hard.”

Demeter sat on a nearby bench. “You’re still thinking about Hades, aren’t you?”

The mere mention of his name made Persephone smile. “I’ve never met anyone like him before. He’s not like any other gods I’ve met. He was so grumpy and gloomy at first, but he was nice, too.” As she talked about Hades the plants around her began to perk up.

A worried frown crinkled Demeter’s brow. “You have a crush on him.”

Persephone grew flustered. “W-What? No, of course not! I-I-I’m just worried about him, that’s all!” She wrung her hands together nervously. “I mean, he made the crisis in the underworld sound so serious. Why can’t we help him? Do you hate him that much?”

Demeter shook her head. “No, dear, I don’t hate him. I just don’t trust him. He didn’t just ask for my help restoring his fields, you know. He asked my permission to court you as well.”

Persephone emitted a high-pitched squeal of delight and bounced up and down happily. “He likes me! Hades likes me back! I knew it!”

“Yes, but I told him no,” Demeter went on seriously.

Persephone’s face fell, flowers wilting once again. “But...But why?”

“Persi,” Demeter continued in a softer tone. “I know you like him, but you can never marry him. He’d make you live in the underworld with him, and that is no place for you. Everything, even the food, is designed to trap you there forever.” She cupped her daughter’s cheeks in her hands lovingly. “I couldn’t bear to lose you, Persi. You’re my whole world. Promise me you’ll stay away from Hades and that dreadful place.”

Persephone turned her gaze to the ground and nodded solemnly.

“Good girl.” Demeter smiled and kissed her daughter on the forehead. “Now don’t think about him anymore. Soon you’ll become an eternal virgin and all your earthly desires will be a thing of the past. You’ll thank me one day.”

“Yes, mother,” Persephone said dismally.

Demeter’s heart twinged with guilt. She loved her daughter more than anything in the world. It killed her to be strict with her, but it was for her own good.

Just then there was a sound of fluttering wings. It was Hermes the messenger god, flying down to meet the two goddesses on winged sandals. Hermes was a tortoise, but he was not slow in any way. He was clever, quick, and loud. When he touched down in the garden he tipped his floppy hat jauntily. 

“Hail, Demeter, all nourishing earth-mother!” Hermes proclaimed. “And hail, Persephone, bringer of fruit! You’re both looking lovely as always.”

“Hello, Hermes,” Demeter replied graciously. “What news have you brought us from Olympus today?”

“I come bearing news from Zeus, wise sky-father!” Hermes unfurled the scroll in his hands and read from it in a loud voice. “First a command; Zeus orders that Demeter, all nourishing earth-mother, offer one third of her grain to the realm of Hades in its time of need. In exchange Hades generously offers one third of his gold, as fair recompense for services rendered.”

“Hmm,” Demeter hummed. No doubt Hades had negotiated with Zeus after she had turned him away. She didn’t love the idea of handing one third of her grain to him, but if it was enough to keep him out of her hair and away from her daughter she would agree to it. “That’s fair.”

“Second,” Hermes read on. “Zeus is planning a great banquet to celebrate the achievements of Demeter and Persephone, to be held in three days on the island of Ithaquack. All Olympian gods are to attend. Please R.S.V.P.”

“Hmm,” Demeter hummed again, pursing her beak in thought. “Hermes, will this party be exclusive?”

“Yes, ma’am,” Hermes said with a nod. “Olympians only.”

Demeter smiled. ‘Olympians only’ meant no Hades, and that meant it was safe to bring Persephone along. A banquet was just the distraction she needed to forget about the god of the dead. 

“That sounds lovely,” Demeter said cheerfully. “Doesn’t that sound lovely, dear?”

“Yes, mother,” Persephone said glumly.

_To be continued..._


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Spoiler alert; Storkules is in this one!

Three days later Demeter and Persephone went to Ithaquack. 

Zeus’ banquets were always lavish affairs and this one was no different. He had all the best food, the best wine, the best musicians and dancers. As the god of hospitality he prided himself on giving his guests the best of the best, and the guest list was a star-studded assemblage of the most important deities in the Greek pantheon. All of them were Olympians, meaning they each had thrones on Mount Olympus. The major gods included Zeus’ wife Hera, his brother Poseidon, his sister Hestia, and several of Zeus’ divine children; Aphrodite, Apollo, Ares, Artemis, Athena, Dionysus, Hephaestus, and Hermes. Second tier deities included Asclepius, Eileithyia, Eros, Hebe, Hygeia, Iris, Leto, Nike, Themis, Tyche, the Hours, the Graces, the Fates, the Muses, and of course Storkules. And of course the guests of honor were Demeter and Persephone, whom all of the gods and demigods had come to pay their respects to.

Normally Persephone would have enjoyed a party like this. She had known all the Olympian gods since she was a child and had many friends among them. But today she just wasn’t in the mood. All she could think about was how Hades wasn’t there.

There was one good thing about being at a big, noisy party; Demeter became distracted by all the gods and goddesses paying their respects to her. She wasn’t able to watch Persephone as closely, which allowed her enough freedom to drift from her side and talk to men without being interrupted. And since Hades wasn’t here she chose to speak to Zeus. She had several questions for the king of the gods.

Zeus was welcoming when she approached him. “Persephone! So good to see you again! My how you’ve grown! The last time I saw you you were just a little sprout. Excellent work with the volcano cleanup. You must be very proud.”

She curtsied politely and bowed her head. “Thank you, your majesty. And thank you for holding this grand feast in honor of me and my mother. It’s really too generous of you.”

“Why, yes it is,” Zeus said, his chest puffed with pride. “Thank you for noticing.”

“But, and I don’t mean to be rude, I noticed Hades wasn’t invited to this party. I find that odd.”

He arched one bushy gray eyebrow. “Oh, do you?”

“I spoke to him soon after the Mount Etna eruption,” Persephone went on. “Because of him the giant Typhoeus is still in captivity. Doesn’t he deserve a feast in his honor for that?”

Zeus smiled in a condescending way. “Oh, Persephone. You’re sweet for thinking of him. But, as you know, this party is for Olympians only and my brother Hades is not an Olympian. His realm lies beneath the earth, much too far from Mount Olympus. Besides that, he has always been a wet blanket, not to mention a workaholic. He’s never enjoyed frivolities such as this.”

Persephone frowned. Those were all lame excuses to her. “Then will you at least send some aid to his realm? He told me the underworld was experiencing a famine as a result of the eruption. Shouldn’t that concern you as king of the gods?”

Zeus chuckled uncomfortably. This girl was great at asking hard questions. Hades certainly knew how to pick ‘em. “Trust me, dear, it’s under control. Now why don’t you run along and have a chat with the other virgin goddesses about weaving or something? There’s a good girl.” He finished with a condescending pat on her head, as if she were a small child.

Persephone’s cheeks flushed with indignation. As if her mother treating her like a baby wasn’t enough she had to take it from the king of the gods as well. She wanted to say more but Zeus had already turned his back to her and started a conversation with someone else.

But luckily for her, she was rescued by a strong and mighty hero. It was Storkules, the strongest and mightiest of them all. “Hail, fair Persephone!” he boomed. “Word of thy great works and deeds have reached mine ears! What a wondrous occasion this is to celebrate!”

“Thank you, Storkules,” Persephone said politely, grateful for the distraction. “But I can’t take all the credit. Mother did a lot of work, too. And so did Hades.”

“Oh?” Storkules tipped his head curiously. “What hath Uncle Hades done?”

Persephone arched her eyebrows in confusion. “You don’t know? He stopped Typhoeus, the storm-giant under Mount Etna.”

“Did he?” Storkules said with surprise. “Why, then brave Uncle Hades beeth a hero! This banquet shouldst be in his honor as well! But where is my dear uncle? I see him not.”

Persephone frowned. “He wasn’t invited.” She clenched her fists at her sides and frowned at the ground. The more she thought about how unfairly Hades was treated, the more upset she became. “Hades should get more respect. He fought a monster and saved us all. Now his kingdom is in a famine, and Zeus doesn’t even _care_ . My own _mother_ won’t help him with his crops.” Her fists began to shake. “And why? Just because we like each other!”

It took a few seconds for Storkules to connect the dots. “Wait. When you say you ‘like each other’, do you mean…” A huge grin spread across his face, and he swept Persephone off the ground. “Aaah! Why fair Persephone! Soon I shall call thee Auntie, for thou art in love with Hades!!”

Storkules’ booming voice said that loudly enough for everyone to hear. A stunned silence fell over the party and all eyes turned to gawk at Persephone. Her face turned beet red.

Just then Demeter saw Persephone with Storkules. She put her wine down, picked up her skirts, and marched up to Storkules. “Young man, you put my daughter _down_.”

Storkules wisely placed Persephone on her feet and backed off.

Demeter then put her hands on her hips and began to scold Persephone in front of everyone. “And as for you, young lady, have you been talking about Hades all this time? I told you to stop thinking about that man.”

Persephone bristled all over, blonde ringlets frizzing with frustration. This was the final straw. She had been humiliated enough. “ _No,_ mother.”

The gawking crowd gasped.

Demeter gaped at her daughter. “What did you say?”

Immediately Persephone felt guilty for shouting at her mother. She almost apologized, but she was too angry. “You heard me! I said no!”

Demeter was still in shock. Persephone had never talked back to her like this. She inhaled sharply and managed to keep her composure. “Persephone. We are not going to do this here,”

Seeing that an argument was starting at his party, Zeus bravely attempted to defuse the situation. “Ladies, ladies, please! This is a party! Why don’t you two have some wine and cool off? Or maybe some baklava?”

Both goddesses glared at him with the same hard green glare. _“Stay out of this!”_

The king of the gods wisely backed off.

“Why do you have to chase away every man who talks to me?” Persephone went on, growing more and more upset. “I never wanted to be an eternal virgin! That was your idea, not mine!”

“What are you suggesting?” Demeter retorted. “That I forced you into this? That I’ve been trying to mold you into something you’re not?”

“ _Yes!_ I'm sorry I’m not the daughter you wanted, but this is who I am, okay? I’m not a little girl anymore, and I'm sick of you treating me like one! I can talk to who I want, and love who I want! And there’s nothing you can do about it!”

Demeter had finally reached her limit. “ _That’s enough._ We are going home. Now.”

Something inside Persephone snapped. In that moment her rage overpowered her better judgment. Her eyes began to glow and her hair fluttered in an unseen breeze. _“No, mother.”_

Suddenly a row of huge thorn bushes erupted out of the ground, throwing Demeter backward and right into Storkules. The other gods and goddesses screamed and fled from the wave of angry vegetation. Soon there was a giant wall of dense thorn bushes stretching across the beach, cutting Persephone off from everyone else. 

The young goddess gaped in horror at what she had just done. Then she turned and ran down the beach in tears.

“Persephone!” Demeter cried. “Come back!”

Poor Storkules was more confused than anyone. “Um…What just happened?”

Meanwhile Zeus gazed across the mess of thorny branches that had ruined his party. He groaned and picked up his thunderbolt, preparing to clear away the mess. “Hades,” he muttered to himself. “You owe me big time for this.”

_To be continued..._


	5. Chapter 5

On the shadowed rocky side of Ithaquack, far away from the Olympians’ party, Hades was waiting for the perfect chance to make his move.

His plan was simple. When Zeus had Demeter distracted and sent Persephone his way Hades would approach her and ask her to marry him. He wanted to make this as romantic as possible. He had picked a huge bouquet of flowers in Elysian Fields. He had even written a poem extolling her many virtues. Now all he had to do was get past his paralyzing stage fright, and he had no one to practice his lines on but his four black horses. His horses watched him pace back and forth and talk to himself.

“Okay, Hades, you can do this,” he muttered. “You just have to confess your love to Persephone and ask her to marry you. No big deal. Just be cool.” He cleared his throat and tried to smile. To anyone watching it would have looked like the sinister grin of a serial killer. “Hey, babe. Are you a dead body? Because you’re drop dead gorgeous.” He groaned and dropped the smile. “No, no, that’s too creepy. Gotta go lighter.” He cleared his throat and tried to smile again, this time looking more constipated than sinister. “Hey, babe. Are you a ghost? Because I think you should be my boo.  _ No! Too stupid!” _

He thumped his head on the cliff side in frustration. Why was this so hard? Keeping Titans at bay was easier than this. Maybe he should give up on this plan and go home to write more depressing poetry.

Suddenly someone came running from behind the cliff side and crashed right into Hades. They both fell backwards on the sand and flowers flew everywhere. Angered and embarrassed, Hades bellowed at the stranger.  _ “Watch where you’re going, you--!” _ He stopped when he saw who it was who had crashed into him. “P-P-Persephone!”

Sure enough it was Persephone. She was more distraught than Hades had ever seen her. There were tears running down her cheeks and her eyes were red and swollen. Even the flowers in her hair were droopy. “H-Hades?” she whimpered, confused and sniffly.

The sight of the sweetest goddess in the world with tears in her eyes filled Hades with righteous anger. His black lips twisted into a snarl and his fists clenched tightly. “Who did this to you?” he growled dangerously. “Who dared to make you cry? Tell me where they are so I can avenge you. I’ll  _ mutilate _ them.”

Persephone grimaced and choked back a sob, eyes filling with even more tears. She buried her face in her hands and wailed loudly. “No! Don’t hurt my mom!” 

Hades immediately regretted his words and tried to backpedal. “I...I didn’t mean it like that! Of course I’d never hurt your mom! Please don’t cry!”

Persephone only continued to sob.

Hades had no idea what to do. Comforting damsels in distress was something he had never learned. But he had to do  _ something _ . “Persephone,” he said nervously. “You’ve gotta help me out here. How do I get you to stop crying?”

She paused to catch her breath and sniffled. “Would you… Would you give me a hug, please?”

Hades froze with uncertainty. Hugging wasn’t something he had much experience with. He thought displays of emotion were gross and gooey. But if Persephone wanted a hug, then by Cronus she was getting a hug. So he opened his big arms stiffly like an automaton with rusty joints, wrapped them around her tiny body, and held her carefully. He was afraid to squeeze too tight. She was as dainty and delicate as a flower, and she smelled so sweet. He had never held anything more precious in his life.

Persephone clung to his dark gray toga and whimpered, tears soaking through the fabric. It was strange for her to feel so safe in the arms of the god of death, but there was nobody else she’d rather be with at this moment. She needed strength and he had more than enough. When her tears finally stopped she lifted her head and rubbed her eyes. They were still puffy and wet but she was smiling. 

“Thank you,” she said. “I feel better now.”

“You’re welcome,” Hades said, relieved to see her smiling again. He loosened his grip on her but wasn’t quite ready to let go of her yet.

“What are you doing here?” she asked. “I thought Zeus only invited Olympians to Ithaquack.”

Hades cleared his throat and averted his eyes. “Um...Well, that’s a long story. Let’s just say a little bird told me you’d be here, and I really wanted to see you again.”

Persephone’s cheeks warmed. She twirled a lock of blonde hair around her finger and swayed from side to side. “I wanted to see you again, too. I’m just sorry you had to see me like this.”

“Hey, don’t worry about it,” he reassured her. “An Olympian party wouldn’t be complete without family drama. Makes me glad I never get invited to these things.”

Persephone sighed and stared down at the sand in shame. She had a huge fight with her mother in front of all the other Olympians. There was no way she could face them yet. She looked up at Hades through her long lashes. “Is it okay if I hang out with you for a while? I don’t want to go back yet.”

Hades' heart skipped a beat and a crooked smile tugged at his lips. “Sure!” Realizing he sounded too eager he cleared his throat and tried to act nonchalant. “I mean, sure. Whatever.” He felt his cheeks flush and thanked his lucky stars his feathers were dark.

They found some large boulders to sit on by the shore. As Persephone watched the waves Hades tried to come up with a new plan for how to propose to her. This wasn’t how he had pictured the scene in his head. He had planned to give her flowers and read her poetry. Instead she had come to him at her most vulnerable and it seemed wrong to take advantage of that. He no longer had a script to follow and was at a loss for what to say. So he stared out at the sea in silence as if that would help him think of something.

Persephone, meanwhile, was starting to feel much better. As she listened to the waves crashing and smelled the salty sea air she began to relax. Hades’ presence also had a calming effect on her. She waited for him to say something to her but he was either too nervous to speak or simply had nothing to say. Once again they had fallen into an awkward silence. 

At last she decided to be the one to break the silence. She squirmed and fidgeted on her rock and twirled her hair. “So. Uh. How are the earthquake repairs going in the underworld?”

Hades continued to gaze at the sea as he frowned. “Not good. We’re still in a famine. I couldn’t even get Zeus to help without twisting his arm.”

Persephone's expression turned somber. “I’m sorry my mother turned you down. I’d help you myself if I could. I just wish she trusted me enough for that.”

“Demeter’s always been like that,” he said with a shrug. “I’ve known her for thousands of years, and she still doesn’t trust me as much as I thought she did.”

“For what it’s worth,” Persephone said. “I think she’s wrong about you.”

Hades arched one eyebrow. “What did she say about me?”

“She warned me to stay away from you. Said you were dangerous.” She smirked playfully. “But you don’t seem dangerous to me. You’re just weird.”

Hades frowned and pouted his black lips. “Thanks,” he said sarcastically. “That makes me feel a lot better.”

Persephone's smile faded. “Are you mad? I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to offend you. I was trying to get you to laugh.”

He folded his arms and grunted, face set in a brooding scowl. “I don’t laugh.”

Persephone pouted in thought for a moment. Then she had an idea. “I bet I can get you to laugh,” she said with a smile. “I know a lot of jokes.”

Hades scoffed and looked away. “Good luck.”

Persephone was undiscouraged and proceeded to tell her first joke. “What do you call a musician petrified by Medusa?” She grinned with excitement and paused, waiting for him to respond.

Hades stubbornly remained silent.

“Give up? It’s a rock star!” She laughed at her own joke. “Ha ha ha! Get it? Rock star? Because Medusa turns people to stone?”

Hades stared at her, absolutely deadpan. When he didn’t laugh she simply tried another joke.

“Who did Artemis invite to her birthday party? Her nearest and deer-est friends!”

Hades arched an eyebrow.

Persephone tried again. “How do Greek women get ready for a toga party? With a Hera appointment!”

Hades rolled his eyes and shook his head. This was ridiculous. “Did Demeter teach you these jokes? Because they’re the corniest I’ve ever heard.”

Persephone’s beak fell open with surprise and pointed at him triumphantly. “Aha! I  _ knew _ you had a sense of humor! You just made a joke!”

He looked confused. “No, I didn’t.”

“Yes, you did!” she insisted. “Demeter! Corn! It's so obvious!”

His eyes went wide as it dawned on him. She was right. He had accidentally made a joke. He had fallen for her game without even noticing. He gave a low, dry chuckle, like the croak of a raven.

Persephone squealed with delight and danced in a little circle. “I did it! I’ve done the impossible! I, Persephone, got Hades, god of the dead, to laugh!”

For the first time that day Hades smiled. “You’re hilarious.”

At last the sun began to set over the sea. The clouds and the waves danced with orange and pink light. As Persephone admired the sunset Hades admired her beauty and wished to freeze this moment in time forever. 

“You know,” Persephone said. “I’m really glad I got to see you again. You’re not like any god I’ve met before. You’re so dark and mysterious, and you act like you don’t care what anyone thinks of you. It’s so cool.”

Hades became flustered. He wasn’t used to hearing so many nice things about himself. He tried to think of something smooth to say back to her. “Well, I think you’re pretty...pretty cool, too.”

Her eyes lit up. “You think I’m pretty?”

He replied with no hesitation. “You’re beautiful. Radiant, even. You’ve got this glow about you, warm and bright like the sun. You bring life wherever you shine.”

Persephone was taken aback by this. A blush stole across her cheeks. “That’s the most romantic thing anyone’s ever said to me.”

She placed one small hand over his. He opened his hand to her and let her in, closing his thick fingers carefully around her soft little hand. Then she gazed into his eyes and his cold heart melted. She was perfect and he was the luckiest god in the cosmos. The evening had gone so much better than he could have imagined. He was sure of it now. She was the only one for him.

At last his moment had come. It was the perfect time to propose. Hades held both of Persephone’s hands in his and gazed into her eyes. His heart beat faster and his stomach grew warmer. This was it. He was going to say it.

“Persephone, there’s something I want to ask you.”

“Yes?” she asked, green eyes shining with hope. “What is it, Hades?”

“Persephone." He paused to take a deep breath. “Will you…”

_ "Persephone! Persephone, where are you?" _

Suddenly they heard voices calling Persephone’s name from a long distance. Among them was Demeter.

Persephone pulled her hands away from Hades, her eyes wide with fear. “Oh no! Mother’s looking for me!” 

Hades’ black lips scowled and his black lidded eyes squinted with annoyance. Damn it. Why did Demeter always have to spoil the moment? She would never leave them alone. 

Suddenly he felt Persephone clinging to his toga and trying to hide from view. “Hide me!” she whispered loudly. “Please! Don’t let her see me! I can’t face her like this!”

Hades put his arms around her protectively without any of the stiffness from before. “Don’t worry. I’ll think of something.” 

The wheels in his head began turning. He needed to get Persephone away from the island, far away where Demeter and the other Olympians couldn’t find her. Then his eyes fell on his chariot and horses and the idea came to him. The underworld was the answer. He could hide Persephone down there and her mother would never know.

There was no time to explain. Demeter and the other deities would be here any second. Hades swept Persephone off her feet and up in his arms. She let out a startled squeak as he carried her back to the chariot. There he picked up his bident and fired a beam of energy just in front of the horses. The energy formed a ring on the ground that opened a large, round, pitch-black hole.

Then Hades snapped the reins and the horses charged forward. As they dove into the pit, Persephone let out one more scream. Then the portal closed up behind them and disappeared without a trace.

The only witness to this incident was Selene. Unbeknownst to Hades or Persephone the goddess of the moon had been driving her flying chariot through the sky that evening and happened to be passing over Ithaquack. From her position she saw Hades carrying Persephone off in his chariot and heard her screams just before they vanished from sight.

She thought Hades was kidnapping poor Persephone.

_ To be continued... _


	6. Chapter 6

There was no light in the subterranean tunnel, only the noise of clattering hooves and chariot wheels echoing all around her. Persephone clung to Hades’ arm with all her might, fearing what would happen to her if she fell from the chariot.

At last the chariot and the hoofbeats slowed down. “Persephone,” Hades said. “We’re here.”

She opened her eyes and looked around. The chariot was on a paved road and the tunnel had opened up into an impossibly vast underground landscape. It was so dark it looked like nighttime but there was no sky, only an enormous ceiling covered in jagged stalactites. The air was gray and smoky and dotted with specks of orangish light that might have been torches. Bats squeaked and fluttered about like birds while the shades of the dead drifted aimlessly. The road they were on went through a blackened field up to a city, and on the other side of the city was a grand palace carved out of a black marble cliff face.

“Where are we?” Persephone asked.

“This is the underworld,” Hades replied. “Home sweet home.”

Her pupils shrank to pinpoints. _ “What?!” _

“You asked me to hide you, and I did,” he said matter-of-factly.

“This is not what I meant!” Persephone whined and pulled on her hair in distress. “Oh gosh. If my mom finds out about this she’ll be furious! You have to take me back!”

“I thought you said you didn’t want to face her.”

“I don’t, but this isn’t exactly a great alternative. How long do I have to stay here?”

He arched an eyebrow at her. “Have to? Do you think I’m kidnapping you?”

She cringed with embarrassment. “N-No, I didn’t mean it like that.”

“You’re not my prisoner,” he said seriously. “You’re my guest. You can stay until you’re ready to go. Just stick with me and nothing will hurt you.”

Persephone considered his offer. She wasn’t sure if she would like it here in the underworld. It looked every bit as grim and gloomy as she’d always heard. But if staying here meant she didn’t have to face Demeter and could spend more time with Hades, that was enough for her.

“Thank you,” she said gratefully. “I’m glad I get to spend more time with you.” She emphasized her statement by placing one hand on his bicep. 

Hades felt his heart skip a beat. Now that they had escaped another interruption from Demeter, he could try proposing to Persephone again. But not here on the road. It wasn’t special enough. Maybe he could take her back to the palace. It was the safest place in the underworld and she seemed pretty spooked. Once she felt safe and comfortable again he could ask her to marry him.

On the way to the palace was a tall iron gateway guarded by an enormous three-headed dog. He stood bigger than Hades’ horses and much thicker, with beady black eyes and a long serpentine tail. As the chariot approached the gate the dog turned all three heads toward it and sniffed the air. He recognized the familiar scent of his master Hades, but there was a weird flowery smelling stranger with him. His ears went flat and his lips curled, revealing teeth as long as swords. His growl sent a low rumble through the earth.

Persephone tightened her grip on Hades’ arm, eyes growing bigger and bigger. “W-What is that thing?”

Hades brought the chariot to a stop. “That’s my guard dog Cerberus,” he said nonchalantly.

She tried to hide herself behind Hades. “He doesn’t look very f-friendly.”

Hades smirked. This was the perfect chance for him to show her the underworld wasn’t such a bad place. He bent his head down and whispered “Watch this.” He reached into the folds of his toga and pulled out a barley cake, which he raised over his head. “Cerberus! Here, boy! Daddy has a treat for you!”

At the word ‘treat’ Cerberus’ three pairs of ears perked up and his three tongues drooled. His long snaky tail swished to and fro with excitement.

“You know the rules, buddy,” Hades said. “Sit, boy. Sit!”

Cerberus sat obediently, tail swishing faster and faster. Hades then flung the barley cake toward him, which he caught in one open mouth and swallowed in a single gulp.

“Good dog!” Then he pulled out another barley cake and offered it to Persephone. “You wanna try it? He’ll be your best friend if you feed him.”

“Um.” Persephone hesitated. Even though Cerberus was now acting like an ordinary dog he was still a terrifying monster. He could gobble her up as easily as he did that cake. But Hades had promised nothing here would hurt her. And it would be exciting to befriend a giant monster dog.

So she took the cake from Hades and held it up with both hands. “H-H-Here, boy,” she said in a quavering voice. “W-Would you like a treat? Sit, boy. P-Please.”

Cerberus did not sit. He stood and stared skeptically at the tiny floral scented woman standing beside his master.

“Why isn’t he sitting?” Persephone asked.

“You sound too scared,” Hades said. “Be firm. You’re the one holding the treat.”

“Cerberus,” she said firmly. “Sit.”

This time Cerberus obeyed and waited patiently for her to give him the treat, tail twitching expectantly.

Persephone lit up with excitement. Then she tossed the cake to him and he snapped it up, tail happily wagging.

“I did it!” Persephone cheered, bouncing happily. “Did you see that? He did what I said!”

“See? Now he respects you. You wanna pet him?”

“Really? Would he let me?”

“Sure, I’ll show you.” Hades held out one hand palm upward. “First you show him your hand like this and let him smell you. When he gets that you’re not a threat you’re free to touch him.”

Persephone did as he said and held out her hand for Cerberus to smell. The dog ventured closer and sniffed her hand curiously with all three of his noses. Then he licked it.

She gave a startled squeak and backed up against Hades. “I-I-I think he’s still hungry!”

Then Cerberus did something neither of them expected. He licked Persephone with one huge, slobbery tongue, coating her tiny body in saliva. Hades, who had the misfortune of standing in that same tongue’s path, was also drenched in dog drool. Both deities stood frozen with shock, their hair and clothes soaking wet and a puddle of saliva forming at their feet.

Hades’ glared at Cerberus, black eye makeup streaming down his face. “Welp. Someone’s not getting any more treats.”

Persephone looked up at Hades and immediately burst into a fit of giggles. “Pfffft! He got you good!”

Despite his slightly bruised ego, Hades smiled. It was good to hear her laughing.

They went straight to the palace after that. Persephone marveled at how different the palace was from the homes of the gods on Olympus. They were all white marble and gold and garishly colorful. Hades’ palace was made of black marble, a fine example of rock-cut architecture carved directly into a cliff face. On the inside it was dimly lit by torches and yet finely decorated. The walls were covered in lavish frescoes and the floors were tiled mosaics.

However the palace was mostly empty. Hades had no family living there and rarely had guests, so all the servants had to do was keep the dust and cobwebs off of everything. The palace staff were all somber-faced nymphs and daimones clad in gray. That all changed when Hades brought Persephone into the building. When they saw that their master had brought a golden-haired flower-decked goddess home with him it set off a wave of excitement.

His housekeeper was a nymph named Daeira, who resembled a crow. “Welcome home, sire.” She paused, noticing that the god of the dead was covered head to toe in dog slobber. “Um…Did you have some trouble with Cerberus?”

“He got a little overexcited this time. I brought someone back with me.” Hades gestured to the small, wet goddess standing next to him. “This is Persephone, daughter of Demeter. She is my guest tonight, so treat her well.”

“Yes, my king,” Daeira replied. “Welcome to the house of Hades, lady Persephone. I am Daeira, the chief of staff. May I offer you a bath and some clean clothes?”

“Pleased to meet you, Daeira,” Persephone said as politely as she could. “That all sounds wonderful.”

“Will you be dining with us as well?”

“That’s a good question,” Hades said. “Would you like to stay for dinner?”

Persephone hesitated. She hadn’t eaten much back on Ithaquack and was starting to get hungry. However she remembered her mother’s warning about the food in the underworld being designed to trap people forever. But then again Hades was her host, and she couldn’t very well tell him no.

“Dinner sounds great,” she said at last.

* * *

Meanwhile on Ithaquack It was no easy task for the gods to cut away the wall of thorns Persephone had created from her tantrum. Even with Demeter using her powers there were just so many of them.

The gods and goddesses searched every inch of Ithaquack but found no sign of Persephone anywhere. Demeter was overwhelmed with worry and guilt. Persephone had never acted like that before. She had always been such a sweet and obedient daughter, but today she has been so aggressive. What had gotten into her? Had she been too hard on her?

Meanwhile Zeus was abnormally calm throughout the whole thing. Of course he knew exactly where Persephone was. He knew all along that Hades had been waiting to steal her away on the far side of the island. Now that it was done all he had to do was pretend he knew nothing and make a show of comforting poor Demeter. 

Zeus sat with her and patted her on the back, speaking false words of sympathy. “There, there. I’m sure your daughter is perfectly safe.”

“No, she’s not!” Demeter cried, tears running down her cheeks. “She’s never run off like that before. Where could she have gone? We’ve searched the whole island!”

He winced at her tears. He was never good with crying. “She’s probably just hiding someplace we haven’t looked yet. Try to calm down. We’re doing everything we can.”

“Is this my fault?” Demeter groaned, drying her eyes with her sleeve. “What have I done? Was I too hard on her? Have I been pushing her too hard?”

“You’re worrying too much,” Zeus said. “Why don’t you go home and get some rest? It’s been a long night. Persephone might even be waiting there for you.”

Demeter was too distraught to argue. Once she had been properly dismissed and sent on her way in her chariot, Zeus put two fingers in his beak and whistled. 

Hermes came fluttering to his side and saluted to him. “Yes, my liege?”

“I have a special mission for you, Hermes.”

_ To be continued… _


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some mild non-consensual content in this chapter. Nothing sexual or explicit, but proceed with caution.

After washing off all of Cerberus’ drool in his private bath, Hades prepared himself to propose to Persephone again. He put on a clean black silk chiton embroidered with gold thread, scented oils that made him smell more like mint and less like a tomb, and a fresh layer of makeup. He always insisted on doing his makeup himself. No one else’s work ever satisfied him. He needed to look his best for when he asked Persephone to marry him. He sat inches away from his mirror, his hands shaky with nerves. He had applied the black lipstick and eyeshadow to his beak and eyelids. Now the hardest part was the eyeliner. He had to be completely focused to keep his hand steady enough to draw a straight line. The slightest distraction would ruin everything.

Of course that was exactly what happened.

_ “Hail, Hades, savior of the dead!” _

Naturally Hades’ lost his focus and ruined his perfectly straight eyeliner. His right eye and left eye were now hideously asymmetrical. He banged his fist on the wall and growled. “Damn it, Hermes! Now I have to start over!”

“A thousand apologies, sire,” Hermes said with a bow. “I bring urgent news from Zeus, master of marriage rites! He wishes to inform you that lady Demeter knows Persephone is missing. You must hurry and claim your bride before her mother learns you have her.”

Hades sighed and used a damp cloth to clean his smudged makeup. Of course Demeter would be onto him already. “Tell Zeus to cover for me. I’m proposing to Persephone tonight. It’s in the bag.”

Hermes seated himself on the window sill and crossed his legs. “Of course, sire. But if she says no?”

Hades froze. After an awkward pause he spoke. “That’s not gonna happen. She’s eating dinner with me tonight. Once she eats my food she’ll be bound to the Underworld forever.”

“Very clever, sire.” Hermes produced a ripe red pomegranate. “And very brave.”

Hades didn’t look at him as he began reapplying his eyeliner. “What are you talking about?”

Hermes shined the pomegranate on his tunic. “Well, if Persephone is bound to the Underworld forever, she’ll never get to see her mother again. Or her friends and family on Mount Olympus, or the beauty of the living world she loves so much. But of course she knows that if she’s willing to eat dinner with you.”

“Yeah…” Hades said, not sounding at all certain. “Yeah, of course she does." He then frowned at Hermes, finally noticing the pomegranate in his hand. “You took that from my orchard, didn’t you?”

Hermes shrugged innocently.

Hades held out an open hand. "Give it back."

Hermes tossed the pomegranate to him. “Best of luck to you, sire. I’ll stick around until you’ve done the deed. Zeus will want to hear of this.”

“Whatever,” Hades said gruffly, tucking the pomegranate inside the folds of his chiton. “Just stay out of the way and out of sight. I know what I’m doing.”

* * *

After her bath Persephone was offered fresh clothes to wear while her slobbery green chiton was washed. She soon discovered that Underworld fashions were all dark neutrals, much darker than the pastels she normally wore. There was nothing bright or cheerful, but there was a peplos in a very dark shade of forest green. Green was her favorite color and it was embroidered all over with beaded flowers so of course she had to have it.

Persephone was then led to the dining room with two couches and a table. As she waited on one couch for Hades to join her her stomach ached. She hadn’t eaten anything since Ithaquack and that had been hours ago. The scent of food cooking wafted from the kitchen, causing her mouth to water. Despite accepting Hades’ dinner invitation Persephone was reluctant to eat anything. If Demeter was right about the food of the dead then she shouldn’t touch any of it. But she couldn’t be rude to her host. 

Moments later Hades entered the dining room. He stared at Persephone in awe. “Wow,” Hades said at last. “You look incredible.”

“So do you.” Persephone replied with a coy smile, twirling a curly blonde tendril. “I like your makeup. That winged eyeliner is flawless.”

Hades smiled proudly as he seated himself on the couch across from hers. "Thanks, I did it myself."

The servants then brought in the food. Persephone was impressed by the sheer amount of food that was offered. There were rich meaty dishes, breads, cheeses, olives, apples, grapes, and pomegranates.

“Wow, that’s...a lot,” she said with bewilderment.

“I didn’t know what kind of food you liked,” Hades admitted. “So I told the cooks to prepare a little of everything.”

Persephone stared at the food with hungry eyes but made no move to take any. Maybe she shouldn’t have said yes to Hades’ dinner invitation. She would have been a rude guest for refusing, but there was no way she could eat his food. The words of her mother still rang in her mind.

Hades noticed her hesitation. “You’re not eating,” he said with concern. “Aren’t you hungry?”

Persephone turned her eyes away with embarrassment, fussing with her hair nervously. “No, no, it’s not that. I’m sorry, it all looks and smells delicious. But, well, my mother warned me the food down here is dangerous.”

Hades arched an eyebrow. “Dangerous how?”

“She said that if someone eats the food of the dead they have to stay here forever. I don’t want to overstay my welcome.”

“Why not? Don’t you like it here?”

Persephone squirmed on her couch. “I-I-I don’t know. I mean, it’s not as bad as I was told, but I haven’t seen that much of it yet.”

“I can show you around later," Hades offered. "You’d like Asphodel Meadows and Elysian Fields. And then if you decide to stay, you could....”

“I could do what?”

“You could marry me.”

Persephone gasped in surprise, hands flying up to her beak and as her cheeks flushed bright pink. “Hades! This is so sudden!”

“I know, but I can’t wait any longer.” He rose from his couch and knelt before her, where he took her hands in his and gazed deeply into her eyes. “Persephone, I’ve loved you since the day we met. You brought my cold dead heart back to life, and I want to spend the rest of that life with you. If you agree to be my queen we would rule the underworld together for all eternity. So will you marry me?”

As Persephone gazed into his deep black eyes a brilliant smile spread across her face. Then that smile faded into a look of uncertainty. “Hades, I...I’d love to marry you. But...”

Hades frowned. “But?”

She reluctantly pulled her hands away from his. “I don’t feel right doing this without telling my mother,” she continued. “She’s the most important person in my life. I don’t want to get married without her blessing. Let me make things right with her first. And then you and I can be together.”

Hades’ felt his heart sinking like an iron weight. Persephone’s plan was doomed to fail. Asking Demeter to change her mind was like asking Zeus to stop cheating on his wife. It was never going to happen. And Persephone was a lot like her mother. Once she made up her mind she wouldn’t change it. The minute she set foot outside the underworld Demeter would whisk her away and he would never see her again.

There was only one option left for Hades. He had to take a page from Zeus’s book and use trickery. He hated the idea, but he could see no other way. Persephone was the love of his life. He couldn’t bear to live another day without her.

“I understand,” he said sadly. “I’ll respect your decision. But, before you go, I have one last thing to ask of you. I’d like to kiss you goodbye. I don’t want you to leave, but if I can kiss you just once I’ll be the happiest god in the cosmos.”

Persephone’s cheeks turned rosy pink. The idea of sharing her first kiss with Hades made her heart beat faster. “I’d like that.”

She gazed back into the depths of his jet black eyes and felt pulled toward him. Heat filled the pit of her stomach as he bent his head lower. He cupped her cheek with one hand and stroked it gently with his thumb. At this distance he could smell the intoxicating scent of the flowers in her hair.

“You smell nice,” he murmured, his deep voice almost a purr. “As sweet as honey.”

A shiver ran down Persephone’s spine and her stomach filled with heat. She had never felt like this before. “Hades, I...I’m not sure what’s happening to me.”

Hades pulled back with a worried frown. “Are you scared?”

She swallowed a lump in her throat. “I-I don’t know. This is happening so fast…”

“Do you want me to stop?” he asked seriously, gazing deeply into her eyes. “Say the word and I’ll stop.”

Persephone bit her lower lip. “No.”

Hades carefully threaded his fingers through her golden ringlets. Their beaks drifted closer as his black lips rose to meet hers. When they connected it was pure bliss. This was the first kiss of Persephone’s life. She had long wondered secretly what it would be like to kiss someone, and she couldn’t have asked for a better first kiss than the one Hades was giving her now. It was more intense than she expected from someone who seemed as reserved as him. She liked it.

With a contented moan Persephone relaxed into Hades’ embrace and wrapped her arms around his neck. He took this as permission to pull her in closer and deepened the kiss. She gave no resistance and made a soft little noise of pleasure. That encouraged him even more. 

Hades was enjoying the kiss so much that he nearly forgot what he was supposed to do next. This was his chance to give her the seeds. Earlier Hades had hidden six pomegranate seeds under his tongue. His plan was to get Persephone to swallow them during the kiss. If he could just get one of them into her mouth he’d be home free.

Hades prodded at Persephone’s beak gently with his tongue, requesting entry. She let him in and moaned again, losing herself in the moment. Then she felt something strange enter her mouth. Something that definitely wasn’t a tongue. Before she could pull away she felt even more of the foreign objects sliding down her throat. She panicked and shoved him away with all her strength, choking and coughing into her hand. 

Then she looked and saw three pomegranate seeds covered in her saliva in her open palm. She stared at the seeds with wide-eyed shock. “W-What...what is this?”

Hades froze. Crap. She had noticed. 

Persephone looked at him with utter betrayal in her eyes. “Hades, what did you do?”

He felt his stomach twisting with anxiety and guilt. “I...I fed you...a few pomegranate seeds.”

Her expression “You...You fed me the food of the dead...while you were  _ kissing  _ me?”

Hades winced, heart wrenching in his chest. He was already regretting this decision. “I can explain.”

Persephone’s eyes glowed bright green with anger. She flung the remaining seeds at his feet where they took root, sprouted and grew. Suddenly Hades was swept off his feet into the branches of three pomegranate trees in a matter of seconds. While Hades was still struggling to get free, thick vines lifted Persephone up to his level. Her eyes were still glowing with divine fury. 

**_“You tricked me!”_** the goddess shouted, her voice loud and booming. **“That was my** ** _first kiss_** **, you jerk!”**

He blinked in surprise. “Really? I’m your first?”

**“Don’t change the subject!"** she boomed again. "You  _ planned  _ all of this, didn’t you? You wanted to  _ trap  _ me here! How could you take advantage of my innocent heart like that?!”

Hades continued to struggle against the tree branches binding him tighter and tighter. “I thought you wanted to stay! You said you wanted to be with me!”

“Not like this! Now I’m stuck here forever! I’ll never get to see my mother again!” Her voice began to weaken and tremble, tears forming in her eyes. “She was right...She was right about everything. Even you.”

Before Hades could say anything else, Persephone ran from the room crying.

_ To be continued... _


End file.
